Mike Bassett: Manager

Mike Bassett: Manager is a British television comedy series by Steve Barron. It is a follow-up to the 2001 film England Manager, and stars Ricky Tomlinson, Steve Edge, Amanda Redman and Dan Renton Skinner. The film follows Mike Bassett who after leading England to the World Cup semi-finals in 2002 has seen his career decline as he decides to postpone his retirement in Spain to take over as manager of EFL League Two side Wirral County, the team for whom his father was a club legend.
The show ran for one series of six episodes and was first shown on 29 September 2005 on ITV. In 2014, there were plans to bring Mike Bassett back to the big screen in a movie titled "Mike Bassett: Interim Manager." However, a kickstarter project that was essential for raising funds for the film did not meet its target, essentially making the series the final instalment.

Premise

The series is a sequel to the film Mike Bassett: England Manager, in which Bassett, having won the Mr Clutch Cup with second-tier side Norwich City, takes over England following the previous manager's heart attack. Despite failing to win any of the final three qualifiers, England reach the World Cup finals, held in Brazil. After drawing with Egypt, a 4–0 defeat to Mexico, captain Gary Wackett being sent home for hooliganism and Bassett being pictured in a drunken incident, he is expected to resign, but instead inspires England to victory over Argentina. England reach the semi-finals, before being knocked out by eventual winners Brazil.
The series picks up some time after Mike Bassett took England to the semi-finals of a fictional 2002 World Cup. The side failed to qualify for the 2004 European Championships, losing to lowly Liechtenstein during the campaign, resulting in Bassett being sacked. Since then, a spell at Newcastle ended in similar fashion after getting them relegated two consecutive seasons, while his returns to former clubs Norwich and then Colchester fared little better. Mike decides to retire and is set to move to Spain, but at the last minute is offered the manager's job at Wirral County F.C., for whom his father was a player.

Cast

Main cast

Ricky Tomlinson as Mike Bassett, the former England manager who's struggled since returning from the 2002 World Cup and has since been sacked by Newcastle, Norwich and Colchester.
Steve Edge as Doddsy, Bassett's assistant coach who is a sycophantic yes man.
Amanda Redman as Karine Bassett, Mike's long suffering but faithful wife whose patience is often put to the test.
Dan Renton Skinner as Kevin Tonkinson, A Geordie former England international player who is an alcoholic and has since found himself playing in the lower leagues. He is based on Paul Gascoigne as per his spells with Boston United at the time.
Tim Barlow as Sir Denzil, the supportive but elderly chairman of Wirral County Football Club, who suffers a heart attack in the first episode.
Michael Fenton Stevens as Richard Johnson, the managing director of the club who often schemes against Mike and attempts to sell the land on the stadium to a Norwegian furniture chain.
Neil Maskell as Wirral Web Presenter, the presenter of the Wirral web show and the most prominent figure in the press conferences.
Adam Tedder as Laszlo Vig, the psychotic Serbian goalkeeper of Wirral who is said to be wanted for war crimes.
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Carlton 'Doors' Dawes, seen as the best player on the team.
Gareth Mason as Gavin James, the heavily overweight player who Mike is unable to drop from the team because his father is the owner of Wirral Rubbish, the team's shirt sponsor.
David Gyasi as Jeremy Hands, a well educated player who has vast tactical knowledge of the game but is often ridiculed by Doddsy as a "know it all" despite him always being right.
Richard Bennett as Wrighty.

Guest

Mark van Eeuwen as Ronnie Van Needlemans, a Dutch player who Mike is convinced to sign believing him to be a top striker featured in a scouting video, he turns out to be the goalkeeper in the video.
Jordan Long as Spike, Tonkinson's best friend who is seen as a bad influence on him by Mike. He is based on "Jimmy Five Bellies", Paul Gascoigne's best friend.
Robin Kermode as Dr. Moss

Cameos

Jeff Stelling as himself, presenter of Sky Sports Soccer Saturday.
Jimmy Greaves as himself.
Lucy Meacock as herself, a newsreader.

Episodes

Bottom of the Final Table

Before Final Match:

Pos.	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
22	York City	45	44	–26
23	Mansfield Town	45	41	–34
24	Wirral County	45	41	-36

After Final Match:

Pos.	Team	Pld	Pts	GD
23	Wirral County	46	41	–38
24	Mansfield Town	46	41	–39

No reference is made to the result of the match involving York City, but with both Wirral County and Mansfield Town both losing they were safe.

Production

In 2003, a pilot episode was shot using Bradley Walsh as Doddsy, the role he played in the film. However when the producers of the movie demanded a higher percentage of royalties, the project was delayed for two years. As a result of this when the series began filming Walsh was no longer available and the role was given to Steve Edge. Of the four returning characters, only Ricky Tomlinson and Amanda Redman reprised their roles with Dan Renton Skinner taking on the role of Kevin Tonkinson, as played by Dean Lennox Kelly in the movie.
Despite being based in Ellesmere Port, filming for all football scenes and exterior shots of Wirral County's stadium were shot in London using Brentford's Griffin Park stadium.